


Belly Up

by KyloTrashForever



Series: Oneshots [2]
Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Alternate Universe - Pet Store, Anxious Ben, BB the Fish, Ben Doesn’t Like Much, Ben POV, But He Might Like Rey, F/M, Fluff and Smut, Grumpy Ben Solo, Pining, Reysexual Ben
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-06
Updated: 2019-01-06
Packaged: 2019-10-05 03:45:30
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,963
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17317466
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KyloTrashForever/pseuds/KyloTrashForever
Summary: He seemed to catch the fish’s eye, and it stared back at him blankly, seeming to taunt his weakness for even purchasing it in the first place.“Don’t look at me like that,” Ben huffed. “I didn’t plan for this.”He hadn’t either. The rain, the store, the fish,her— he hadn’t planned for any of it. It might have been the first thing in as long as he could remember that had happened without his careful planning. He didn’t know how he felt about that.Ben Solo didn’t like the rain, or pets, or too much chatter, or long lines, or large crowds, no— Ben Solo didn’t really like much......but he might like Rey.In which a grumpy Ben who likes nothing finds something to like in Rey.





	Belly Up

**Author's Note:**

> Hi! I know I’m supposed to be taking a break— but apparently that just means taking a break from my normal WIP’s to chase short plot bunnies. This was completely inspired by the Adam photo from the moodboard (which was gifted to my wife [gopherbroke](https://archiveofourown.org/users/gopherbroke/pseuds/gopherbroke/works)) and I couldn’t get it out of my head. I hope you like! ❤️

* * *

 

“I don’t _care_ how much time it will take, Hux. Just get it done.”

Ben listened as Hux began to prattle off his normal half-assed excuses as to why he couldn’t fulfill whatever task Ben had given him at the standard Ben expected. Ben knew that he was demanding, but it was only because he expected the best— and it seemed that was too high an expectation for practically everyone who worked beneath him.

He let out a sigh as the first drop hit his cheek, scowling up at the sky and noticing it had darkened considerably as he walked. He knew he should have taken the car. He huffed out a breath, telling Hux he would call him shortly and informing him he expected better news when he did so.

Ben _hated_ the rain.

Then again, if he was being honest with himself— there wasn’t much in particular he _did_ like. Finding himself caught outside when the sky opened up was not the best start to his day. He made a run for it, the legs of his jeans becoming soaked in the splash of the puddles he trod through and already feeling his socks becoming wet in his shoes.

Perfect.

There was a shop just down the street, the closest one in his path on the sidewalk and he hurdled towards it in hopes to get out of the rain until it let up a little. He pushed inside the door, a bell ringing overhead.

It was the smell that assaulted him first. Like old shavings and wet fur and God knows what else plaguing his nostrils and causing him to wrinkle his nose. Then it was the sounds that hit him next— a chorus of screeching and yipping littered with what he was sure was a _meow_ and he realized then just what kind of shop he’d stumbled into.

He grimaced, already deciding he’d rather chance the rain. He didn’t much care for animals either, and a pet store was the last place he wanted to be. He was just turning to leave when he saw her— stooped over a tiny cage and cooing at what he was almost positive were baby rats. She spotted him then, rising to her full height of still a good head shorter than him and offering a bright smile.

He stood like a complete idiot by the door, transfixed by the curve of her mouth. His own mouth might have actually been hanging open— he couldn’t actually be sure. She wiped her hands on the apron she wore, shuffling down the aisle and into the entryway to greet him.

“Hey! Can I help you with something?”

Fuck. What was he supposed to say? There was absolutely nothing in this store that she could interest him in— save for continuing to speak just so that he might hear her voice again. It was soft, lilting even, and he knew immediately that she wasn’t native to America. He found himself not wanting to admit he was only escaping the rain, afraid she might ask him to leave and then how would he keep her talking?

“I—” he scrambled. “I was just looking.”

“Oh? Well we have a ton of animals to choose from… anything you might be partial to?”

Shit. Nothing with hair. Was there smoke coming out of his ears? They felt so hot.

“A fish?”

A fucking _fish?_ He’d never owned a fish in his life. Actually— that wasn’t true. His mother had bought him one as a child and it had taken it all of thirteen hours to go belly up in its bowl. Probably knew even then what an asshole he’d turn out to be. They say animals and children know.

She smiled a little brighter and he forgot his train of thought. She tucked a stray curl behind her ear, the chestnut tendrils framing her pale face sweetly and accentuating the incandescent blue-flecked-green of her eyes.

“I’m a little low on stock of the more exotic fish, but I have a ton of your run-of-the-mill goldfish?”

“Can I see?”

She nodded happily, turning to lead him towards a wall of tanks near the back of the store. He noticed then she wore overalls under her apron, rolled at the ankles with little red converse on her feet. On anyone else it would have looked ridiculous, but on her it might have been the most enticing thing he’d ever seen.

She stopped at the wall of fish tanks, turning to him and throwing up her arms in a “Ta-da!” motion. Half of the tanks were seemingly empty, the other half stocked with various sizes of bright orange fish. He stared down at them, not having the slightest clue about goldfish and looking to her helplessly.

She laughed, touching his arm in reassurance, and it felt like his forearm had begun to burn where her fingers rested over his sleeve. He swallowed, his eyes lingering on her mouth that was turned up in a grin.

“Don’t worry,” she assured him. “I’ll help you.”

He nodded. Was he actually going to _buy_ a fish? What would he even do with it? He didn’t have time for a damned pet— but she was still smiling at him, and his heart was still beating just a little too fast, and he was pretty sure that yes, he would buy a fish if it meant she would keep smiling like that. Fuck, he’d buy a damned Shetland pony.

She pointed at a tank with smaller fish, flitting about in the water in darting motions. “These are just common goldfish. They’re the best breed for beginners. They don’t need a heater.”

“What’s that one?”

She glanced to the tank he was pointing at. “Oh, that’s a Telescope goldfish. See the big, globe eyes?

“It looks like a calico,” he commented, noting the orange and black splotches on its white body.

She nodded, beaming at him. “Yeah, I love this kind.”

“I want this one.”

The words had tumbled out of his mouth before he could stop them, her answering grin enough to leave him breathless. “Oh, great! You’ll need a tank… I don’t recommend the smaller bowls for this one. You’ll need at least a ten gallon tank.”

“Okay. Whatever I need.”

“Let’s go get what you need then, um…?”

“Ben.”

Another grin. Did she _always_ smile? He really hoped so. “I’m Rey. Good to meet you, Ben. Let’s get you fixed up.”

* * *

Sitting in his apartment almost an hour later, he stared down at the strange little fish floating in its tank (he’d set it up all by himself, thank you very much) and wondered again how in the world this had even happened.

Ben was not the type to do anything on a whim. Every decision he made in his life down to what color socks he would wear the next day was carefully thought out. So suffice to say— this little spark of spontaneity was far outside his comfort zone.

His phone began to trill in his pocket, Ben pulling it out and scowling when he recognized Hux’s number.

“What?”

“You were supposed to call me back.”

Damn. He’d completely forgotten. “Oh, yeah. I got... distracted.”

Hux scoffed. “You don’t get distracted.”

“I know that… it came as a surprise to me too.”

“I finished the new draft of the proposal. I forwarded it to your email for you to approve.”

“Is it fit to your standards or mine?”

He could practically hear Hux’s eyeroll. “Nothing is fit to your standards.”

Ben couldn’t argue with him there. Although for a moment a head of chestnut hair and an infectious smile cropped up in his head, giving him pause.

“I’ll look it over after dinner. Here’s hoping it’s correct this time.”

He heard Hux puff out a breath, knowing he wanted to say something in retort but to his credit biting his tongue. “Just forward it back to me when you inevitably find something else wrong with it.”

“Will do,” Ben agreed flatly, knowing Hux was probably giving him the finger across the line.

He ended the call, tossing the phone on the couch and leaning on his knees to peruse his new friend again. He wondered what he should do now. He’d bought the damned fish— but what good would it do him? The large container of food she’d given him would last for a month, and that was far too long to wait to see her again.

He seemed to catch the fish’s eye, and it stared back at him blankly, seeming to taunt his weakness for even purchasing it in the first place.

“Don’t look at me like that,” Ben huffed. “I didn’t plan for this.”

He hadn’t either. The rain, the store, the fish, _her—_ he hadn’t planned for any of it. It might have been the first thing in as long as he could remember that had happened without his careful planning. He didn’t know how he felt about that.

Ben Solo didn’t like the rain, or pets, or too much chatter, or long lines, or large crowds, no— Ben Solo didn’t really like much...

...but he might like Rey.

* * *

Three days. Three days was enough time— wasn’t it?

Never mind that this was his _fifth_ visit to her store, or that each one that proceeded it had become increasingly more ridiculous in terms of his excuses as to why he’d come.

First he’d needed a lamp— because, well, the fish might like to see at night. (Could fish see in the dark already? Fuck, he hoped not.) Then it was a pH test kit, because didn’t the little guy seem sick? His last visit had been reaching at best, claiming to have spilled the fish’s food down the sink. Never mind he had no good reason as to why he was at the sink with the damned thing’s food— and thankfully Rey hadn’t asked.

He stood just down the block from the store, his hands in his pockets and his mouth turned into a frown as he considered going inside. It wasn’t raining today, in fact the sun was shining— a little _too_ brightly if you asked him. Was he really complaining about sunshine now?

He took a deep breath, knowing there was absolutely no way he could leave here without seeing her again. He’d thought of her incessantly for every moment since he’d last seen her. Every moment that had passed since that _first_ time he’d seen her if he was being honest with himself.

Telling himself to be a damned man, he stomped across the distance that separated him from the door, pulling it open just a little more roughly than he intended and stepping inside. The little bell sounded again overhead, and he already found himself glancing around in search of her.

She was sitting behind the counter, leaned over on her elbows, a book open in front of her. She looked up when she saw him, giving him that same bright smile that had been plaguing his every thought. No overalls this time— but when she stepped around the counter he noticed little high waisted shorts, a dark t-shirt with some sort of band logo tucked into them and those same red converse on her small feet.

“Hey, Ben,” she greeted. “Back so soon?”

He swallowed nervously. Was it too soon? He’d waited as long as he could… he’d been sure three days was an appropriate amount of time.

“Yeah,” he replied after clearing his throat. “I just needed a couple more things.”

The corner of her mouth quirked, her eyes crinkling at the corners and in the bright light of the sun they looked like filtered seawater— and Ben thought he might be drowning.

“Everything okay with your little fish?”

“BB.”

She cocked her head. “BB?”

“His name,” Ben clarified. “I decided on BB.”

“BB,” she echoed in slight confusion.

“Yeah… because of the thing he does with his mouth.” Ben aimlessly opened and closed his mouth in demonstration. “It looks like he’s mouthing the letter over and over.”

Rey outright giggled, the sound washing over him and if he thought her smile was wonderful, her laugh was _heavenly._

 _“_ You’re adorable,” she remarked.

Adorable? No one had called Ben adorable in his entire life. If anyone else had called him that he might wring their neck. Right then though, he couldn’t think of anything more he wanted to be than adorable.

“I um, thought of getting more decorations. For his tank. It’s pretty bare.”

“Hm, well I have quite a lot to choose from. If you want to browse.”

“You’re not going to help me again?”

She bit back a grin, and he knew he had to be completely transparent. By the grace of whatever God above, she only nodded, jerking her head towards the direction everything was.

“Well, come on then.”

* * *

When they stood at the counter later, Rey ringing up his items, Ben felt actual dread at leaving her again. He was almost positive he’d bought out her entire section of tank decor— he wasn’t even sure it would all fit in his tank. That held promise. Maybe he could buy a new tank in the next week.

That was ridiculous.

_Just ask her out you asshole._

What if she said no?

What if she said _yes?_

His mind whirred with fevered thoughts that probably left his face pinched and flushed as he stared a hole into her counter. She seemed to notice his distress, finishing up bagging his items and offering him a reassuring grin.

“So you’ve got a fun afternoon ahead of you. Decorating the tank is the best part!”

He frowned. “I guess. I’ve never done it before.”

“It’s not hard,” she assured him. “Just do it however you like it.”

She took his card then, swiping it in the machine and he felt his time with her dwindling, slipping through his fingers and leaving a cold ball of anxiety in his stomach.

_Just ask her out you stupid son of a—_

“You know,” she started tentatively. “If you needed help… I close at five.”

He gaped at her, feeling his mouth opening and closing as he struggled to form a reply and she chuckled softly. “You look like BB now.” She bit her lip, suddenly looking nervous. “Unless that’s too forward, I didn’t mean to assume—”

“I would absolutely love your help. Please help.”

She beamed, the action warming him more than the sun ever could and he felt his tongue sticking to the roof of his mouth. He dumbly watched her write her phone number on a piece of paper, sliding it across the counter into his waiting hand, telling him to text her his address.

He wanted to text her and tell her that her smile kept him awake at night.

Instead he only nodded, trying his best to not look as anxious as he felt and assuring her he would do just that. She mentioned bringing him dinner, and he insisted he would take care of it.

“It’s a date then,” she affirmed.

It’s a date.

It’s a _date._

He let the words replay over and over in his head as he left the store, arms laden with plastic trinkets and chest warm and full. He took note of the streaming sunlight once more— thinking that maybe it wasn’t too bright after all.

* * *

 He checked the clock again, the time just then late enough that she would have had time to arrive and the nerves that came with it settling in his stomach. He checked the food he’d ordered, not knowing what she liked and having ended up buying a little of everything from his favorite restaurant. Everything _seemed_ perfect— but still he was a bundle of pent up energy, so afraid to fuck this up.

His phone rang sharply, and he felt his heart both soar and flop in the assumption that it was her, both excited for her to arrive and afraid she would call and cancel. He huffed out a breath when Hux’s name flashed across his screen instead, putting it to his ear with a sigh.

“Yes?”

“You sent the proposal back.”

“I did. Is there a reason you’re calling to inform me of things I did myself?”

Hux was silent for a moment. “You didn’t add anything.”

“So?”

“ _So?”_ he snorted. “You didn’t demand any changes, or point out my punctuation, or send it back riddled with yellow highlighting.”

“I didn’t see anything wrong with it.”

“ _You didn’t see anything wrong with it?”_

Ben rubbed his eyes, growing bored of his conversation. “Did you _want_ me to find something wrong with it?”

“Who are you and what have you done with Ben Solo?”

He frowned, pondering that question himself and unable to form a plausible answer. “I was… distracted. Admittedly.”

Hux blew out a breath. “I want to meet this distraction and give them a fucking Nobel Peace Prize.”

“Do you have anything constructive to talk about or can we please end this call? I’m busy.”

Hux actually _laughed—_ possibly the first time he had done so when in conversation with Ben and it felt odd. “Listen. Enjoy your night. Enjoy a _dozen_ of them. Distracted Ben is a blessing to all of us.”

Ben grumbled out a goodbye, wondering why he didn’t just get a new assistant. Hux was getting fairly mouthy on him. Still, he did his job… mostly well. Was that a compliment? It felt like a compliment.

What _had_ happened to Ben Solo?

The _ding_ of his doorbell caused him to jolt, shaking him from his inner musings and sending his pulse into a rapid rhythm that he could swear he could almost hear through his chest. He smoothed his jeans as he stood, partly to attempt to look smart and more largely in part because his hands were fucking sweating like he had a glandular disorder.

He crossed the space of his living room, taking a deep breath at the door and pulling it open. She leaned on his door frame, beaming up at him, and he was almost positive that he could turn out all the lights and brighten the room with only her smile.

He must have _actually_ been standing there completely dumbstruck, because she cocked an eyebrow finally, biting back her grin. “Can I come in?”

_For fuck’s sake Solo, you’ve talked to women before. Act like it._

“Yes, please,” he muttered, standing aside to let her in.

Her eyes roamed around the space, casually taking in his home with interest as his mind mentally ticked off all the things he should have done before she saw it.

“I like your place,” she offered warmly. “It’s very organized.”

“I… like things neat.”

She smirked in amusement. “I can tell.”

“I got food…” He gestured to the table and she raised her eyebrows.

“Is some else coming?”

“No… it’s just us now.”

 _That was a weird thing to say— can you please get it together?_ he groaned internally.

“Wow, that’s a lot of food.”

“I didn’t know what you liked…”

“I guess I’ll just have to try a little bit of everything.”

She shuffled over to the table, still wearing her tiny shorts from earlier, and Ben had to will himself not to stare at her ass. Even if it was the most perfect ass he’d ever seen in his entire life.

She took a plate he’d set out, filling it with various bits from the containers and piling it high before settling at the table. She didn’t eat carefully, digging in with gusto, and for a moment Ben could only stare at her, watching the way she hummed appreciatively when a particular flavor caught her interest.

Then he realized just how much of a creep he was being and quickly moved to follow her lead. When he was seated across from her, he ate quietly, not entirely sure of what to say now that he had her here. He could tell her about his job— but it was boring. He could tell her about his friends— if he had any. Maybe his hobbies? Sure, because she would definitely be interested in his calligraphy set he kept hidden in his closet.

Yes. That will surely reel her in.

“So how’s BB?”

He looked up from his plate, taken aback by the question but nodding towards the still mostly empty tank in his living room. She smiled at it, returning to her food again and letting the silence settle back over them. That wouldn’t do. He liked it when she talked. Maybe he just needed to get her talking about herself.

“So where you from?”

“Originally? Somewhere in Yorkshire. I was adopted when I was eight by my mother. She brought me here. The store is actually hers— but she doesn’t get around so well these days. She adopted me pretty late in life.”

“Oh, is she okay?”

Rey waved him off. “She’s fine. Just arthritis gets to her. She still comes in sometimes when she’s having a good day.”

“That’s good at least.”

“Mhm,” she nodded, then pointing her fork towards her plate. “This is amazing by the way.”

He grinned softly, relief flooding through him and she smiled shyly in response. “You should do that more often. You have a nice smile.”

Ben huffed out a laugh. “You’re probably the only one who thinks so. Most people think I’m an asshole.”

 _Fuck._ Had he said that out loud? He looked at her warily then, but she was already shaking her head. “You’re not an asshole.”

“How do you know?”

“Well, for starters, you bought a fish when you clearly don’t even like animals just to talk to me.”

He stilled, fork suspended in midair comically as her grin turned wicked.

“You knew?”

She nodded. “It wasn’t hard to guess. You were grimacing at the rabbits. Who doesn’t like bunnies?”

He ducked his head in embarrassment. “They’re too soft.”

“ _Too_ soft?” she barked out in laughter. He nodded sheepishly, and she shook her head in amusement. “I like you, Ben. You’re kind of funny.”

He swallowed thickly, taking another bite and trying to steady his racing heart.

_I like you, Ben._

He might actually tattoo that somewhere.

He told her about himself in turn— that he worked in marketing, that his parents still lived outside of the city, that he enjoyed the History Channel. Random details that weren’t interesting in the slightest and yet Rey acted as if she couldn’t get enough of them.

When they’d finished their food, she insisted on cleaning their plates, and instructed Ben to begin to lay out all the tank pieces he’d bought that day. After washing the dishes she showed him how to carefully place BB in a smaller container while they worked, then moving to help him decorate his aquarium. Ben did his best to help her, but mostly he just nodded a lot and agreed with whatever suggestions she gave him.

She smiled at him… a lot. Every time his hand brushed against hers, every time their eyes met, every time he quietly asked her a question to learn more about her— her sweet grin met him at every turn. He stored away every kernel of information he gained about her, her favorite food (pizza), her favorite music (he supposed maybe Taylor Swift wasn’t _terrible),_ even her _shoe_ size (he didn’t even want to talk about how or why he’d steered the conversation in _that_ direction). Every little piece of Rey was precious, and he carried them inside him, ever wanting more.

They worked slower than was necessary to get the job done, mostly because of Ben, taking his time in hopes to prolong the moments he was stealing with her. It felt like this had some sort of time limit; as if at any moment she would realize just how miserable he was to be around and change her mind altogether. It was terrifying.

When she was satisfied with the tank, she stepped back to admire her handiwork, Ben giving her a soft grin of his own. She let BB back into his tank, and he supposed maybe the fish looked happy— if you could relate floating lazily to joy that is. If anything at least the tank was more aesthetically pleasing. That was something.

Fuck, he hoped this fish didn’t keel over.

The only problem was that, now that their task was complete, Ben couldn’t think of a single reason to make her want to hang around. He had nothing to offer her in terms of entertainment, surely she didn’t enjoy documentaries on the growth of the industrial society in the seventeenth century.

He was just about ready to break out the damned calligraphy set as a pis-aller when she spoke, plopping down on his couch and thankfully saving him from doing anything too embarrassing.

“So tell me Ben, why do people think that you’re an asshole?”

“I guess because it’s true.”

She wrinkled her nose. “Why do _you_ think you’re an asshole?”

“Because… I don’t enjoy anything.”

“Everyone enjoys something.” He shrugged, and she looked determined. “Ice cream.”

“Too cold.”

“Puppies?”

“Terrible breath. Plus, they pee everywhere.”

“The _beach?”_

“I sunburn easily.”

She frowned, her brow furrowing in thought as she tried to beat him at his own ridiculous game. A look of triumph came over her then, and she smirked again as she settled into the couch. She looked as if she were about to play a royal flush and take all of his money.

“Sex?”

His mouth went dry, his collar seeming too tight and he tugged at it as he let his eyes go to the ceiling. “It’s been too long to be sure,” he muttered in embarrassment.

“Ah, so you _might_ enjoy it.”

“I suppose… I might.”

“Hm, that is a pickle.”

He stood pressed against the fish tank, chewing on his lip nervously as she tapped her own with a finger as if pondering their predicament. She gave him a coy grin then, patting the couch beside her and beckoning that he join her.

“Don’t be nervous,” she crooned. “I won’t bite.”

 _Oh God, please let her bite._ Did he even _have_ control of his thoughts anymore?

He might actually have been having a heart attack, the organ pounding against his ribs so hard he wasn’t entirely sure they wouldn’t crack. He took a tentative seat beside her, Rey turning inwards to face him with her head resting on her hand as her elbow lay perched on the back of the couch.

“Do you want to know what I like?”

He nodded, wanting to know every single thing about her that she was willing to tell him.

“I like the rain,” she informed him, reaching to let her fingers brush over his chest and causing him to suck in a breath.

She scooted closed, her hand pushing upward to let her finger stroke at the loose tendrils of his hair that clung to his nape. “I like cherry flavored popsicles.”

He had to bite his lip to keep from groaning, her fingers carding through his hair and his eyes closing instinctively as he leaned into her touch.

“I really like your hair,” she murmured. “It’s just as soft as I thought it would be.”

“What else?”

“I love kittens… but then again I love most animals,” she informed him. “But do you know what I _really_ like?”

He opened his eyes, his hands fisting at his sides as he fought the urge to touch her as he nodded back at her.

“I like that you bought a fish just to talk to me,” she grinned.

“It’s not… creepy?”

“It’s very sweet.” She stilled then, biting her lip as she regarded him. “Hey, Ben?”

“Yeah?”

“Do you think you’d like it if I kissed you?”

Ben wanted to tell her he was pretty sure he would buy an entire zoo if it meant Rey would kiss him— but instead he gave a nod, watching with wide eyes as Rey came closer.

Then she was climbing into his lap, her thighs straddling his and her body so close he could feel the warmth of her skin. Her hands were pressed to his chest, her fingers spreading apart to span the width of him and he actually felt himself _shake_ with anticipation.

He could see then when he finally allowed his eyes to linger on her chest, the faded logo of Lynyrd Skynyrd over her dark t-shirt and why did that make so much sense? He couldn’t continue that train of thought with her hands in his hair again, her fingers gripping to pull him close and her lips so near his own that the warmth of her breath mingled with his as if one entity.

Her eyes flicked to his, her mouth turning up in that way of hers and making his chest feel somehow both empty and full. When her lips brushed against his, so soft and tentative, he was so stunned for a moment he could only be still, enjoying the way the plush curve of her mouth moved against his own.

Then her hips were moving, pushing her closer to him and closer to _him_ and he was lost. He let his arms wrap around her, curving her to his body and returning the pressure of her lips. He felt her tongue, insistent at the seam of his mouth and he opened to let her slip inside.

Ben was _floored_ by the number of things he was discovering that he liked that day.

He liked the way she whimpered in the back of her throat when he deepened their kiss. He liked the way her hips rolled against him when his fingers tightened on her skin. He liked the way her hair tickled his face as she hovered over him. He _especially_ liked the way she was continually trying to pull him closer— as if she couldn’t get enough of him.

No one had _ever_ needed more of Ben Solo— but Rey sure seemed to.

He didn’t know how long they remained that way, molded together, his tongue moving over hers as if trying to memorize its shape. When he finally broke away to catch his breath, his forehead resting against hers even as her swollen lips continued to press against his skin, he realized he was in trouble. How would he ever want to do anything ever again but this?

“So,” she murmured. “What’s the verdict? Did you like that?”

 _Like._ Like was inadequate. He wanted to kiss Rey until days turned to weeks and Hux was filing a missing person’s report. If he even would.

His fingers curled around her waist, his lips pressing against hers softly and lingering to show her just how much he _liked_ it. She wriggled in his lap as she moved closer, brushing against what might have been the most painful hard on he’d ever had and he winced in embarrassment.

She noticed, ducking to nip at his bottom lip and rolling her hips against him again. He heard himself let out something akin to a whine, too far gone to be embarrassed. His fingers were at her waist, urging her to continue her sweet torture. He wanted to stay like that forever, and yet he wanted so much more.

“Ben… do you think you would like—?”

“Yes,” he ground out. “Whatever it is, _yes.”_

He felt her smile, a curve of her lips against his before her fingers were moving to the button of his jeans, undoing them slowly as her tongue slipped inside his mouth. When her hands were finally on him, his cock hard and needy in her slim fingers, he thought he might have actually died. She pulled at him in an exploratory way, fisting his length to stroke him, smearing the dewy beads of pre-cum at the tip to glide it over his length.

There were too many clothes between them— too many inches of skin barred from his touch and he let his hand slide under her shirt to smooth over her ribs. Her breath caught when his thumbs stroked at the skin just beneath her bra, nodding before leaning back to grip at the hem and pull her shirt over her head.

Her bra was plain— soft, white, cotton with no embellishments and yet he found on her the simple garment was more enticing than anything he’d ever seen. She kept her eyes on his as she reached behind her to unfasten it, and he sucked in a breath when she lowered the straps over her shoulders to toss it away.

Her nipples were the same soft pink as her mouth, pebbling from either the cool air of the overhead fan or the way he was staring at them intently— he really hoped it was more the latter. He leaned, looking up to meet her eyes as he licked at the taut peak, pulling it into his mouth to suck as she whimpered. Her fingers moved to his hair, tugging to pull him closer and he felt the action resonating in his cock.

She actually _gasped_ when he grazed his teeth along the sensitive bud, a quiet intake of air and Ben decided then that he didn’t just like the sound— he _loved_ it.

“ _Ben,_ I—”

“I want to, _fuck,_ I want to. I don’t— I don’t have any—”

“I’m on the pill,” she assured him, her lips brushing against his jaw. “I’m clean.”

He couldn’t help the laugh that escaped him, something like a choked snort that earned him a curious look from Rey. He shook his head. “It’s just that it’s been a while— a _long_ while— and, well… I’m clean too. Basically.”

God, her _smile_. He knew he would do anything to earn one.

She urged him to his back, his head resting against the couch as gazed up at her. He felt stunned, at a loss for words at this beautiful girl hovering above him and feeling as belly up as a damned fish. She worked at his jeans, Ben lifting his hips so that she could tug them and his underwear free as he kicked them away. He pulled at her shorts urgently, and she worked at the button and zipper as Ben helped free her of them.

He looked to her in silent permission as he reached for the thin scrap of cotton of her underwear, Rey nodding softly as he rid her of those too. When he finally, _finally,_ had her naked, he felt almost like the wind had been knocked out of him. Everything about her was perfect. The delicate line of her throat, the barely-there curve of her belly, the gentle swell of her hips. He couldn’t even breathe at the sight of her bare cunt— perfect, pink, and _so wet_ for him.

He reached to trace a finger through her folds, gathering her wetness and curving to press at her entrance. He watched her eyes flutter closed, rocking backwards to press against his straining length that rested against the cleft of her ass. He watched her reach below to wrap her hands around his hardness, lifting to level herself and line it up with her core.

She bit her lip as she began to lower, her eyes on his as she slowly took him inside. He felt the tight, wet muscle of her stretch around him as she sunk down, holding his breath and thinking he might die like that. Nothing could feel as good as she did and not be fatal.

When her hips were flush with his, rooted in her as deep as he could be, her eyes closed as she rocked forward in a tentative motion. He felt every tiny movement in every nerve ending of his body, every inch of his skin humming in quiet need for more. He held his breath as she lifted, watching where they were joined as she hovered at the head only to sink back down with more force.

He grasped at her hips, urging her to continue and with every slide of her cunt she moved faster, Ben’s teeth gritting tight as he felt that liquid heat begin to build at the base of his spine.

He knew he couldn’t last long— Rey was too warm, too tight, too _perfect,_ and he needed more than anything to feel her come around him. He let his hand splay across her belly, his thumb dipping between her folds to circle her clit as a needy sound escaped her throat.  

_That sound._

_Fuck,_ he liked that sound.

He rolled his thumb over her clit with the same amount of pressure, rubbing a continuous circle and reveling in that same sound that tore from her throat. Her felt her thighs shaking around him, her brow knitted and her mouth agape as she rode his cock.

Watching her come was like watching a time-lapsed painting. Taking in the tiny details of her face as they contorted in pleasure— the way her eyes shut tight, the way her mouth formed a tiny _o_ shape, the furrow of her brow that smoothed as her orgasm crested over her. Minuscule details that blended together to form a goddamn masterpiece.

It was enough to send him hurtling over the edge after her, his fingers tightening at her waist as his cock spasmed inside her to fill her with his spend. He didn’t know how long it took him to regain his senses, or how long it took for his breathing to steady, but the next thing he was aware of was Rey leaning over him, her lips over his jaw and pressing insistent kisses into his skin.

He wondered how long he could _actually_ stay inside her— never wanting to be anywhere else but seated in her warmth. He let his fingers trace her spine, her skin against his something close to what he imagined heaven might be like.

“So,” she laughed softly. “I think it’s safe to say you like sex.”

He shook his head. “I just like _you._ ”

Her smile was brilliant, as it always was, and she pressed her lips to his for a lingering kiss before chuckling softly. “Just think of all the other things we can find for you to like.”

“I think I could like anything if you’re involved.”

She hummed softly, her fingers carding through his hair as she gave him a coy grin. “I guess we’ll just have to see… won’t we?”

* * *

  _Six Months Later_

It had taken Ben sixty-seven days to ask her to move in— and he’d wanted to after thirty-four. They’d been at dinner one night, Rey chatting away about her day and Ben had practically shouted the question at her, interrupting her mid-sentence.

He still remembered the way her face went from slight shock to bubbling excitement, that same grin that had taken him exactly twenty-three days to fall in love with plastered on her face as she nodded enthusiastically.

Rey was a terrible roommate.

She left clothes on the floor, she never remembered to shut the cabinet doors, she had a bad habit of using his toothbrush because she couldn’t remember which was which— all things that Ben _shouldn’t_ like.

He would never be able to explain why he did.

When he heard the doorknob rattling, her keys jingling as she unlocked it, he felt his entire body perk up like a lovesick teenager. He stilled when he saw what she was carrying, furrowing his brow in confusion as she gave him a sheepish look.

“What is that?”

She shrugged innocently. “An experiment.”

“Uh-huh.”

“We’re still finding things you like— remember?”

He felt his mouth press into a line. “What did you do?”

 She sat the carrier gently on the ground, unfastening the door and reaching inside to pull out a tiny tuft of black fur. It meowed pitifully, and Ben raised an eyebrow at Rey in question.

She pouted, giving him a look he already knew he wouldn’t say no to. “Someone bought him last week but then brought him back because the kid had an allergy. I just… I felt so bad. I know what it feels like to not be wanted.”

He sighed, his fate sealed as he reached out to scratch at the little thing’s ears. “What’s its name?”

“His name is Kylo.”

Ben grimaced. “That’s a terrible name.”

“I know,” she shrugged. “But they’d already named him and I don’t know, doesn’t it suit him somehow?” 

“I guess so… what about BB? He won’t… eat him, will he?” 

Rey laughed, pointing to the large tank where BB swam lazily. “There’s no way he can get into that aquarium.”

Ben studied the tiny animal. “He looks… grumpy somehow. For a cat. His face is all… squashed.”

Rey gave him a wicked grin, winking. “I actually thought he sort of looked like you when we first met.” 

Ben rolled his eyes as she offered the kitten to him, him holding the pitiful thing his arms as it purred. “I guess it’s kind of cute.”

“See? Ben Solo isn’t an asshole. He even likes kittens.”

He huffed out a laugh, shaking his head. “I said _kind of_ cute.”

She stepped closer, pushing up on her tiptoes and pressing a kiss to his cheek. “A fish… a kitten… who knows? Maybe we’ll even get you a puppy eventually.”

He smirked at her as he pulled her closer, brushing his lips against hers and almost crushing the tiny bundle of fur as he held her against him. 

“Mm,” he murmured, knowing he’d do anything at all for this woman—even if she wanted a damned giraffe. “We’ll see.”

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading!  
> Come say hi on [tumblr](https://www.tumblr.com/blog/kylotrashforever)!  
> I made a [Twitter](https://mobile.twitter.com/KTF_Reylo), come follow me!


End file.
